Mark Cramer
C & X Report

BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE FILLIES: INDIAN BLESSING has dominated her two races. She
  showed in the one mile Frizette Stakes last time she can sit behind
another horse
  and power past. Has a good post.  PHANTOM INCOME was highly regarded
before having
  a gate mishap in an August 15 stake. She projects to be the
pacesetter here and
  might go a surprisingly long way at a price.  SMARTY DEB defeated
males as an odds-
  on favorite at Emerald Downs. Before you scoff, the third finisher
in that race
  upset a male stake at Monmouth yesterday.  BACKSEAT RHYTHM rallied well to be
  second behind the top choice last time.
  1.Indian Blessing, 2.Phantom Income, 3.Smarty Deb, 4.Backseat Rhythm
BREEDERS' CUP JUVENILE: WAR PASS has won all three starts and has been
the leader
  at every call of each race. He exits a mile event at Belmont where he set fast
  fractions. Should love Monmouth Park.  KODIAK KOWBOY would be one of
the favorites
  in this race if not for the one length loss he tasted last time. Has
a much better
  post than the horse who beat him.  TALE OF EKATI was being brought
along carefully
  for this race until a suicidal workout October 22. If he can overcome that, he
  might well win. Has a mile work over the track.  PYRO closed well
behind the top
  choice last time. Pulls his rider off the second choice.
  1.War Pass, 2.Kodiak Kowboy, 3.Tale of Ekati, 4.Pyro
BREEDERS' CUP FILLY & MARE TURF: PASSAGE OF TIME snapped back to form
last time in
  the Group 1 Prix Vermeille. She was a gem of consistency going into
the English
  Oaks, where she was favored.  TIMARWA appears to be cycling back to
her best form
  as well. She showed tactical speed in a nine furlong win last time.
May not want
  bottomless soft turf.  ALL MY LOVING'S race six days ago looks like
nothing more
  than a paid workout for this. Trainer Aidan O'Brien adds lasix and
blinkers for
  the first time.  HONEY RIDER's last race is inexplicable. She has
run well over
  this course and distance.
  1.Passage of Time, 2.Timarwa, 3.All My Loving, 4.Honey Rider
BREEDERS' CUP SPRINT: IDIOT PROOF contested a strong pace and ran away
as much the
  best over this track in July. Comes off a perfect sharpener over an artificial
  surface. Breaks outside the second choice.  TALENT SEARCH got a huge
break when
  speedster Attila's Storm was scratched. This rapidly improving colt exits the
  Vosburgh Stakes, where he dueled through torrid fractions.  SMOKEY
STOVER has a
  perfect running style for the set up of this race. However, he drew post one,
  which may not be the best spot over the expected wet track.
MIDNIGHT LUTE would
  be a huge favorite if this was a seven furlong event. Trainer
Baffert is a master
  of sprint racing.
  1.Idiot Proof, 2.Talent Search, 3.Smokey Stover, 4.Midnight Lute
BREEDERS' CUP MILE: JEREMY was a nose away from beating top miler Ramonti in the
  Queen Anne Stakes at Ascot. He reportedly prefers turf better than very soft.
  Let the price be your guide.  EXCELLENT ART likes the distance and is better
  suited to soft turf. The question is how jockey Johnny Murtaugh can work out a
  trip from death post thirteen.  KIP DEVILLE is the best North American miler
  entered today. His last race versus Shakespeare was good enough to
win this. The
  question is the soft turf.  REBELLION is a ridiculous longshot.
Nevertheless, I
  have a gut feeling he can get a small check.
  1.Jeremy, 2.Excellent Art, 3.Kip Deville, 4.Rebellion
BREEDERS' CUP DISTAFF: LADY JOANNE is one length short of being undefeated this
  year. Both of her losses were in prep races. Has enough speed to lay
close, but
  can settle behind the pacesetter.  GINGER PUNCH'S best race was at
this distance,
  going two-turns at Saratoga. The filly has a win over a wet track
and should get
  the right pace set-up. Has a strong rider.  LEAR'S PRINCESS is just
as consistent
  as the top choice. She was beaten a neck by Lady Joanne in the
Alabama. Today's
  distance might be better for both.  OCTAVE is another gem of
consistency. Might be
  a hair less talented than the rest.
  1.Lady Joanne, 2.Ginger Punch, 3.Lear's Princess, 4.Octave
BREEDERS' CUP TURF: RED ROCKS got lasix for the first time in the
process of winning
  this race last year. According to his Racing Post ratings, he is
just as good or
  better. Has a better post than the favorite.  DYLAN THOMAS might win
this race by
  a pole if he runs back to his European form. The distance is perfect
and he can
  handle most turf conditions. The question is whether he is over the
top.  GRAND
  COUTURIER is a twelve furlong specialist. His victory over English Channel at
  Saratoga was legitimate and he could do it again.  BETTER TALK NOW
is a veteran
  warrior. His best is good enough to win this.
  1.Red Rocks, 2.Dylan Thomas, 3.Grand Couturier, 4.Better Talk Now
BREEDERS' CUP CLASSIC: CURLIN is the best horse in the race. The only question I
  have is how well he will handle the track condition. Yesterday's
Monmouth races
  suggested horses can win from off the pace.  STREET SENSE has more athleticism
  than Curlin. He is coming into this race in a similar fashion as for
the Kentucky
  Derby. Has acceleration that can adjust to any pace.  LAWYER RON has
the speed to
  control this race, either by pressing Hard Spun or talking the lead if needed.
  A repeat of his Saratoga races would make him  hard to deny.  ANY
GIVEN SATURDAY
  romped at Monmouth in the Haskell. Jerry Bailey said he would ride
this horse if
  given the choice of any of the Classic contenders.
  1.Curlin, 2.Street Sense, 3.Lawyer Ron, 4.Any Given Saturday